Fishing lure



Sept. 25, 1951 TALLAKSEN 2,559,119

FISHING LURE Filed Feb. 4, 1946 INVENTOR. OLAF WILLA/(SEN A TTORNEK Patented Sept. 25, 1951 UNITED STATES FAT'ENT OFFICE Olaf Tallaksen, Chicago, Il laassignor of one half to Joseph B. Lindecker, Skokie, 111.

Application February 4, 1946, SerialNo. 645,320 7 Claims. (01.43-42.41)

This invention relates to an artificial bait and the primary object is to provide an improved fish baitwhich is particularly adapted to casting and trolling.

l. iii-"feature of the inventionresides in a novel device oimspoon with the; arrangement of a plurality of fish hooks and their supporting member whereby, when said hooks are in their normal position the device may be used in water containing grass, seaweed or the like and the danger of wardly and is positioned between a pair of downwardly positioned spring actuated fish hooks, the barb on each of the latter fish hooks being positioned or arranged to rest against or in furrows made in the rear of the body of the spoon so that the device may be used as a Weedless spoon prior to being attacked by a, fish; similar to the lure described in my copending United States application filed March 1'7, 1945, Serial Number 583,245, now, Patent No. 2,414,425, January 14, 1947..

' Another feature of the present invention is to provide a new. and improved spoon as described above and having an improved type spring in combination with said downwardly extendin fish hooks; said spring causing the spoon to be a substantially weedless lure prior to an attack by a fish and a non-weedless lure after an attack or after the hooks are once pressed downwardly into open position.

' A' still further feature is to provide a new and improved spoon, being of a weedless type prior to a downward movement of the two downwardly positioned and operated fish hooks and a nonweedless type after said hooks are moved downwardly, said hooks being held in both positions by a spring which yields its greatest upward force when the hooks arein a weedless arrangement w th a pq ajh qreeofsaids r ne d c a jng as the pair of downwardly directed hooks are pressed downwardly into open position, the spring being so designed as tohqld the hooks inthelowermost positiomornonrweedless position once the ivin ith rsp on. a. qui k J'erk,= said spring then 19mins thejmqyable hooks upwardlyzeand -holding V 2 them in locked position to provide a weedless spoon.

r A f'urther'feature is to produce a device of this character which is economical to manufacture, and simple toemploy.

'Otherfeatures, objects and advantages willbe apparentduring the course of the fol1owing-de .scriptionr I r 9 tin the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

.:Fi'gure I is a side'perspective view showing-my improved casting and trolling spoon with hooks arranged in weedlessposition.

Figure II is a perspective view similar to Figure I with th downwardly directed hooks in lowermost position forming a non-weedless bait. Figure III is a perspective view showing the top and the rear end of said spoon with the hooks in weedless position. 7 "Figure IV is a perspective view similar to Fig- .ure III with the downwardly-directed hooks in lowermost position forming a non-weedless bait. ""Fig'ure Vis a top plan view of my improved lurewith the hooks in weedless position. Figure VI is a top plan view of my improved -lure= with hooks in non-weedless position, and showing clearly how the spring holds the outside fhooks in said position.

V Figure 'VII isa fragmentary, enlarged, topplan view of the lure as shown-in Figure VI with dotted lines showing the position of the spring as shown in Figure V. p Re ferring to the drawing by character of reference' the numeral [0 designates in general an 'e longate d bowl of the spoon having an upper concave surface'and alower convex surface. The bowl [0 is provided'with a tapering body con- ;verging to a front rounded end l2, with the rear end I3 "thereof' being larger than the front end of'said, bowl, In the front end l2, an aperture i l, or any suitable means, is provided for loosely receiving, a swivellfi. having a line l6 attached .theretoas shown in Figure II. In practice the concave-convex bowl, In. ofthe spoon is heavy enough to aid. in insuring thetravel of the lure through the water with the hooks in uppermost position as shown in Figures I; III and V. A strip or chunk, of pork I I, attached to the rear of the spoon will also insure the proper position of the,.l ure in-the-water, the spring and'rigid parts always remaining on top of the spoon; The 55 :spoon Ill may be made of lightweight metaland 3 plated r coated with paint, however I do not limit myself to the use of metal.

Dual-type hook-like members are usually employed to produce this device which is economical to manufacture. A dual or double ended fish hook H, with shanks l8 and I9, or two separate hooks secured together to act as a dual hook, is movable as hereinafter described. Another fish hook may be referred to'as the stationary member in that it is fixed relative to the bowl It), said hook 20 having an eye 2| secured to cross member 22 of said hook l'l. Since said hook 20 is stationary it may be soldered, welded or otherwise secured to said bowl H5 if desired. Said member I! with cross member 22 has shanks l8 and I9 formed from a single piece of wire, said shanks extending parallel to each other, or substantially so, the greater part of their distance and have curved end portions 23 and 24. form hooks curved downwardly and backwardly, and further formed at the extremities thereof with barbs and 26. The stationary hook 20 is provided with a shank 21 and an upwardly and backwardly curved hook 28, with a barb 29 at the extremity of the backwardly turned portion. The hooks 23 and 24 are normally held yieldingly in position by a spring whereby the points 25 and 25 are held in contact with the furrows 38 and 39, protecting said points 25 and 26 from snagging. When said hooks 23 and 24 are moved downwardly, the barbs or points 25 and 26 as well as barb 29 become exposed and form a non-Weedless bait. The spring 3|] has a rigid section 3|, a long flexible section 32, a curved portion 33 and straight end portion 34. When the hook I! i in upper position the end portion 34 rests against shank portion I9 and holds said hook I! with its greatest force. When the hooks 23 and 24 are forced downwardly the end portion 34 is forced inwardly as well as downwardly, so that section 32 becomes lodged beneath cross member 22, and at the same time the curved portion 33 rests against the shank 9 to hold it in downward position, which causes barbs 25 and 2G to be exposed beneath the spoon l0. See Figures II, IV and The tension and holding power of the spring in this position is slight and if it is desired that the bait become Weedless again, it is only necessary to give the lure a jerk releasing shank {9 from said curved portion 33 and th spring immediately forces the shanks l8 and I9 upwardly. This is only possible because of the novel spring design where the spring strength decreases as the shanks are pressed downwardly, yet is capable of holding said shanks in downward position. This feature is made possible by designing a spring which has a portion thereof which slides beneath said cross member 22' to destroy the upward force of the spring, to thereby establish a new pivot point and cause the spring to exert a downward force upon th movable hooks instead of an upward force, thereby providing the necessary force to convert the Weedless bait into a non- Said end portions 23 and 24 4 become two open unobstructed hooks after the lure is struck by a fish.

The hooks incorporated with this type spoon may be assembled as shown in this application, or as shown in my co-pending United States application Serial No. 583,245 filed March 1'7, 1945, now Patent No. 2,414,425, January 14, 1947, or by any method known by those skilled in the art of making lures.

This type lure performs much better in the water when a strip of pork rind, or a chunk of pork and rind is attached to the stationary hook arranged between the movable hooks, whereby said pork chunk drags in the water causing the lure to dart from side to side as it is pulled through the water.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the invention of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In fish lures having a plurality of movable hooks which may be moved from normal position to open position and returned, comprising a non-buoyant body, means for attaching a line near the forward end of the body, a plurality of movable hooks, said hooks having a common cross member, a mounting for said hooks secured near the forward end of said body, said cross member being pivotally secured by said mounting and elevated from said body, the free ends of said pivoted hooks positioned to extend downwardly over the rear end of said body, a rigid upwardly directed hook positioned and secured between said pivoted hooks, a spring associated with said mounting, said spring having a forward end portion rigidly secured to said body, said spring having a free curved rear end portion assembled to engage with the shank portion of one of said movable hooks, said spring having a flexible central portion between said end portions, said central portion adapted to move beneath said elevated cross member when said movable hooks are moved into open position, whereby said rear end portion of said spring engages a shank portion of one of said movable hooks and resiliently holds said movable hooks in open position as the cross member decreases the upward force of the spring by creating a new pivot point whereby the spring now tends to exert a downward force instead of an upward force, and said spring being adapted by upward pressure on the movable hooks to be released from said position beneath said cross member and again force said movable hooks to the upward and normal position.

2. In fish lures having a movable dual type fish hook, comprising a body, means for attaching a line near the forward end of the body, a dual type fish hook with two parallel shanks and a common cross member connecting said shanks, the free ends of said. dual hook forming pointed hooks, said pointed hooks positioned to extend downwardly over the rear end of said body, a mounting for said dual hook secured near the forward end of said body, said common cross member being pivotally secured and elevated from said body by said mounting, a rigid hook,

55 mounted at its forwardend .on said common cross member .and rigidly positioned .the space between" the parallel shanks of said dual hook, ithe" rear end of said rigid hook forming a, curved -upwardly directed pointed shook, a spring 'asso-' ciated .withrsaid mounting, said spring having a iforward end" portion rigidly secured by said mounting, said spring having a; curvejd-reari:end portion iextending laterally with respect. ptozsaid body and assembled to engage with they shank portions of one of said movable hooks, said spring ,having a flexible central portion between said end portions, said central portion adapted to move :beneath a portion of said elevated cross; member when said movable pointed hooksarej-movedjnto .openpositlon, said rear end portion-of said-spring engaging the shank portion of one of said movgable hooks and adapted to resilientlyhold said movable hooks in open position, and said -spring being adapted by upward pressure on the movrabl'eheekslto be re eased i n; d. on e- ;neath said cross member and again force said movablerhoo s, t t e upward .and.1n me p0- ;siti0n-,.-;,. l a

;,In fishlures hav nea movab ed ilal n fis ,hpokscomp isi s a bo y. s e a hin a im marinew end pt theibo aa; ua it nelii bhook wit twor re l shan nd a common cross member connectingfsaid shanks, ,the free ends of said dual hook forming pointed ,hooks said pointedhooks positioned to extend ward e there end 9 ai 'xb a mounting for said dual hook secured near the forwardend of' said body, said common cross member being pivotally secured and elevated from said body by said mounting, a rigid hook mounted at its forward end on said common cross member and rigidly positioned in the space between the parallel shanks of said dual hook, the rear end of said rigid hook forming a curved upwardly directed pointed hook, a springassoc iated with said mounting, said spring having a forward end portion rigidly secured by said mounting, said spring having a curved rear end portion extending laterally with respect to said body and assembled to engage with the shank portion of one of said movable hooks, said spring having a flexible central portion between said end portions, said central portion adapted to move beneath a portion of said elevated cross member when said movable pointed hooks are moved into open position, said rear end portion of said spring engaging the shank portion of one of said movable hooks and adapted to resiliently hold said movable hooks in open position, said spring being adapted by upward pressure on the movable hooks to be released from said position beneath said cross member and again force said movable hooks to the upward and normal position, and when the movable pointed hooks are in the upper and normal position, the shank and base portions of the movable hooks serve to protect the pointed end of the rigid hook, the bottom surface of the rear end of the body serving to protect the pointed ends of the movable hooks from entanglement with weeds or the like, and said downwardly directed hooks providing unobstructed hooks when moved to the lower open position when struck by a fish.

4. In fish lures, a non-buoyant concavo-convex body with furrows in the rear end thereof, means for attaching a line near the forward end of the body, a plurality of movable hooks, said hooks having a common cross member, a mountin for said hooks secured near the forward end :6 I onsaidi body, said scross member being pivotally secured by said mounting and elevated from said -body, the free ends ofsaid pivoted hooks positio'ned to extend downwardly-over the rear end --of said bodyra rigid upwardly directed hook positioned and secured between said pivotedihooks, a spring associated with'said mounting, said .is'pring having atforward end portion rigidly securedtorsaid'ibody, said. spring: having, a free "curved-rear end portion assembled to engage with the shank portion of one of said movable 'hooks,.lsaidi.spr ing having a flexible central por- :tionrbetween said end portions, said central por- .tion adapted toimovebeneaths said elevated cross member whenxsaidfmovable hooks are moved into open position, whereby said rear end portion of said spring engages a shank portion of one of said movable hooksand resiliently holds said movable hooksain open position as the cross member decreases the upward force-of the spring by creating rainewrpivot-p int wher by the spri new, tend tojexertllasdownwardfo ce ins of n war force,saidspringbe e adapt d y up rd res- :sure. onithezmovableho ks t b ea edl r m said-DQSifiQnab e fi said cross mber and again force said. mov b ooks t t unwa dend :normal .position,the furrows in the bottom e nd,o f the body seryine o pro ct. t i t d en i ,the ,gmoveable hooks, from entanglement w th iweeds or the like, and said downwardly directed hooks providi ob t u ted-h o s whet1 m es it the lower open position when struck bya fish. 5.: lnofishel e na enrh oy n e n eye-ee lel body, means for attaching a line at the forward Jendofisaid body saflual type fish hook having barbed free ends and two parallel shanks with -a, common cross, member between said shanks, the free ends of said shanks of saiddualhook forming downwardly directed barbed hooks positionedtadia entnt e e 9 aid hi i mounting for support ngsaid dual fish hook cured to the concave side of said body, sa d ,mounting being positioned at the same endof the body as the line attaching means, said cross member being pivoted to said mounting, a rigid hook having an eye portion with the eye assembled upon the cross member between said parallel shanks of the dual hook, said rigid hook having its shank extending to the rear of said body and with its curved hook portion directed upwardly and positioned between said pivoted shanks, furrows located on said concavo-convex body adapted to receive the pointed ends of said pivoted barbed hooks when in normal position, a spring for resiliently holding said pointed ends within said furrows when said shanks are in normal position, said spring having one end thereof rigidly secured at the forward end of said body,

the opposite end of said spring having a laterally curved portion assembled to engage with one of said shanks, said cross member held by said mounting in an elevated position from said body, the intermediate portion of said spring constructed and arranged to move beneath said cross member when said shanks of said dual hook are moved from their normal position to open position, and the curved free end portion of said spring contacting and resiliently holding said dual type fish hook adjacent said body when in open position, said hooks serving to protect each other from entanglement with objects when they are in their normal position.

6. A fish bait of the class described, comprising a body; a movable dual hook; said dual hook having a cross member plvotally secured in an elevated position to the forward end of said body; saiddual hook having shank portions extending at-right. angles to said cross member and substantially parallel with each other, and two downwardly proj eeting hook portions with pointeds-ends; a single hook positioned and rigidly secured between said shanks and said movable dual-hook; said single hook being secured to said cross member of said dual hook; furrows located on the under surface of the rear end of said body and adapted to receive the pointed endsof said dual hook; a spring means having a holding portion at its forward end thereof a rear free end portion and a flexible intermediate portion; said holding end portion of said spring being as- 'sembled and rigidly secured on the forward end of said body adjacent to one of said shank portioiis of said dual hook; said rear free end portion of said spring having a curved portion and assembled to contact a shank portion of said dual hook thereby holding said dual hook in its upper or closed position; said intermediate portion of said spring positioned and arranged to slip between saidcross member of said dual hook and said'body when the shank portions of said 1 position.

7. A fish lure; comprising anon-buoyant concave-convex body having means to attach a line at the forward end of said body; a movable dual type hook having two downwardly directed and substantially similar shaped hooks with a corrimon cross member; a mountingsecured to said body; said mounting being providedfor elevating .and pivotally securing said cross member of said hook near the forward endlof the body; a rigid upwardly directed hook positioned between said pivoted hooks having its forward end mounted upon said cross member; a spring having a forward end, a rear end and an intermediate portion between its ends; the forward end of said spring being rigidly secured to said body;. the rear end of said spring having a curved portion resiliently contacting the shank portion of one of said downwardly directed hooks and inhibiting the downward movement thereof but permitting said downwardly directed hooks to be simultaneous'l'y' moved relative to the body when struck by a fish; the intermediate portion of said spring constructed and arranged to slip between said cross member and said body when the shank portions of the dual book are moved downwardly; said cross member forming a new pivot point for said spring causing said spring to hold said dual hook in open position until said shank portions of "said dual hook are moved upwardly to closed position; the barbed end of the rigid hook being protected by the shank and bight portions of the pivoted hooks when they are in their normal position; said body having recesses located on its under surface at the rear end thereof; said recesses adapted to receive the barbed ends of said pivoted hooks; and said single hook and said dual hook serving to protect each other-to a greatextent from entanglement with weeds when used in water containing the same.

OLAF TALLAKSEN. 7

Name Date 7 Number e Tallaksen Jan. 14,1947 

